Every year, millions of dollars go down the drain when companies misplace or lose valuable devices.

A new solution from Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Aruba Networks aims to tackle this issue. On Monday at HPE's Discover conference, Aruba debuted a new, location-based, integrated WLAN asset tracking solution that can help organizations increase efficiency and save money by locating misplaced devices.

Aruba's new tracker can track organizations' IoT devices by integrating fully with Aruba's Wi-Fi infrastructure, so that companies don't have to rely on an external network to locate devices. Also, the new solution will automate inventory management.

Especially for an industry like healthcare, devices like IV pumps or heart defibrillators can be easily misplaced—according to a 2012 McKinsey report, those kinds of losses translate to 25% of staff hours lost by searching for these tools. In a retail context, lost items means slower order fulfillment and lost revenue.

Aruba's asset tracker offers businesses the ability to find these important tools with either a map-based mobile app or by integrating with existing trackers the business uses.

According to the press release, the solution offers the following tools:

Advanced software for ArubaOS and Aruba APs, which allow for "Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)-enabled Access Points and Sensors to act as asset tag 'observers,' creating a sensory network that provides added value to organizations with existing Aruba wireless infrastructure. In essence, it allows their Wi-Fi infrastructure to double as an asset tracking network."

New BLE tags. The quarter-size tags can attach to items as small as an IV pump or as large as a warehouse pallet, and have several options for attaching to items.

App to configure and manage tags. According to the release, assets can "be designated with names, photos and optional IDs so that like assets can be searched for easily." Additionally, managers can easily and quickly make changes, which are automatically saved to the cloud.

Additions to the Aruba Meridian AppMaker. The new solution allows companies to develop their own, unique asset tracking app for iOS or Android with the Meridian AppMaker, which also offers "a new SDK and APIs for seamless third-party integration and custom use cases."

With the Meridian Engage Partner Program, Aruba's customers can integrate and build mobile apps for its Meridian Mobile App Platform. And, according to the release, Aruba will also grow the program to include Emerge, Raizlabs, STANLEY Healthcare, and on the VenueNext, as partners. Also, HPE Pointnext's Arubian Meridian Services can give enterprises a way to harness location-based services to connect and engage with mobile users.